I posted this under the thread on this forum about the pasteurization of greens proposal by the FDA, but my mistake is so horrible I feel the need to make a new post to alert the board in case you get this action alert from the Chi Diet website:

**********
Oh my god, I'm so freaked!!! This is horrible: I just got a special action alert newsletter from Chi Diet (a raw food newsletter that probably goes out to a few thousand people), and it's all about pasteurization of greens, quoted word for word from an e-mail I sent to a few friends a couple days ago. (See below.) I immediately wrote to the newsletter's author to tell him it was all a mistake based on my reading of the subject line of this post on the rawfoods board, and I apologized profusely. This is exactly the kind of thing that destroys our credibility so that when a really urgent action is needed, folks will say "Eh! Forget it!"

Maybe I'll go into hibernation again. It seems I can do nothing right. Yes, I will stay away from this group for awhile and stay offline. I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me!! I'm really trying to engage in constructive action (which I really thought I was doing when I hastily sent that e-mail out), but I screwed up royally.

Here's the action alert, and all the words about pasteurization of greens are literally lifted almost verbatim from my e-mail to Dave Klein and Doug Graham and others:

December 2, 2007
First our Almonds, Now our Greens
Deadline for comments is tomorrow, Monday, December 3rd.

There is a proposal is for federal regulations to mandate the "pasteurization" of all greens. And as bad as that sounds, it gets worse: the FDA has started using the word "pasteurize" as a euphemism or cover for what they really are up to, which is irradiation. We've seen this coming (they've already mandated "pasteurizing" almonds -- burning them with carcinogenic, banned rocket fuel... yes, really!) -- but they've sprung it on us, revealing their plan only recently, and allowing only untill Monday, Dec. 3 for public comment. (In the past, the FDA had comment periods of several weeks or even months. This is obscene!

We need to take action. Almonds in September 2007; all greens (including organic) in the near future; what's next? If we don't act, we have only ourselves to blame as our food supply becomes ever more nutrient-deprived and/or toxic.

Follow the link to read more and take action at the FDA Comment Line. Also pass it on to your friends:
[cornucopia.org]

Even more important, get to know your Senators and Representatives and call them; their willingness to address issues depends on how many constituents call them to complain or voice their support. It only takes 5 minutes to call the toll-free Congressional switchboard numbers when an important issue like this comes up, and they are listening.

For example, I remember a number of years back when the FDA wanted to dismantle the the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act that is the underpinning that allows Americans the health freedom to pursue alternative medicine, herbs and supplements. Thousands of Americans called and wrote Congress to protest aggressively, and as a result the plan was tabled.

Sadly, the FDA hardly ever listens to the public and heeds their wishes at all these days. That's why I personally think it's even more important to voice your concern Monday to the Senators and Representatives who represent you. Let them know you want the agri-business corporations to take responsibility and use more hygienic handling practices and more prudent shipping methods, even if it costs them a little more, rather than passing the burden on to you in the form of toxic, devitalized food devoid of most of its nutritional value. Enough is enough!

[ For years I was complemented that I had subscribers to the newsletter with email addresses that said @monsanto.com, @pepsico.com, etc. I naively thought that we were changing Big Agra from within, one person at a time. The Raw Living Foods movement has been growing about 4x annually, and I really thought we were getting close to “mainstream."

I now realize that Big Agra has been monitoring the Movement all this time, and fears us greatly. This is their latest attempt to destroy the movement. When Big Agra and Big Pharma couldn’t discredit us or trivialize us, they decided that they’d just eliminate our Food Supply.

I don’t usually bother with petitions like this, having seen how the will of the people is constantly ignored by the governmental agencies (the almond hearing was 99.8% against fumigation, but the USDA order fumigation anyway).

But enough is enough! I spent ten minutes finding the comment form and filling it out. Even though we may be ignored, I think it’s important that we let our feelings be known, so that when we the people regain control of our government our comments will be on file for the next generation of bureaucrats. Tomorrow I'm calling my Senator and Congressman! – Jim Carey]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1) To submit online:
Go to www.regulations.gov. In the middle of the screen, you will see “Search Documents.”
In Step 1, choose “Documents with an open comments period”
In Step 2, choose “Department of Agriculture”
In Step 3, choose “PROPOSED RULES”
In Step 4, choose “Docket ID” and then type in “AMS-FV-07-0090”
Hit “Submit.”
Next, you will see a column titled “Comments, add/due by.”
Click on the tiny tan dialogue icon, and you are now ready to submit your information and your comment.

I made the same assumption based on the subject line.

Don't be too hard on yourself. Your contributions to the raw community far outweigh any misunderstandings or mistakes you may have made.

Yeah, don't be too hard on yourself. They made a bigger mistake than you by sending it out in a newsletter without first checking it out!

Rob

--
Rob Hull - Funky Raw
My blog: [www.rawrob.com]

Aw, thanks guys. Dave Klein said pretty much the same thing. I sent the correction to the appropriate parties, and now we'll just carry on. Next time I won't be in such a hurry-- I tend to be in too much of a rush, and that's why I didn't spend more time checking the whole thing out. Next time I'll take a breath and read the whole article, and maybe google the subject, as well. Lesson learned!

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]

I understand how that can happen. The past year or so I've found myself barely skimming text on my screen and am prone to making snap conclusions or lumping gists with other gists and making a lot of typos, etc. It seems to have a lot to do with the irritation my eyes-brain feel when looking the screen. My concentration while looking at the screen is almost nil after a half-hour or so.

I now spend very little time on it and supplement with other sources of info.

kwan, we are grown ups and can read and research for ourselves. we've all got the google at our fingertips here, don't try to take on responsibility for other adults honey, that's not your job.

what is someone else doing sending something out like that in an actual newsletter without verifying it first anyhow? you're not the one who should be embarrassed.

Just googled 'FDA + pasteurization of greens' and came up with this, which may be of interest:
*************
Cold Pasteurization:
A Kill Step to Improving the Safety of Green Leaf Vegetables by 1000X
(*"kill step"-- they got that right!)lol

Presented to FDA Hearing on Green Leaf Vegetables, Oakland, CA
March 20, 2007
Dr. Sik-Lam Wong
Director, RF Accelerator Applications
L-3 Pulse Sciences

[snipurl.com]

Excerpt:

FDA Has Already Done Lots of Work In Cold Pasteurization

FDA has already done a lot of work towards cold pasteurization of green leaf vegetables:FDA has already approved cold pasteurization of green leaf vegetables such as spinach to 1 kGy for dis-infestation of insectsWill reduce E. coli count by at least 1000 times at 1kGy– FDA has already approved irradiation of various packaging materials up to 3 kG

Next step is for FDA to approve regulations to allow cold pasteurization for bagged green leaf vegetables for pathogen control

********
Well, even though this latest FDA proposal was not what it appeared to be, I think maybe we nevertheless-- I've been saying for awhile now-- have a real wake-up call to oppose irradiation of our food, especially produce, before we have no choice at all in the matter.

I'd love to see a core group of raw foodists who are concerned gather online to take on some of these issues in earnest. I refuse to use the word 'activists,' because the word has been co-opted by fascist forces in our country and has come to mean something other than what it usually really means: a citizen who cares about preserving democratic ideals.

I don't understand, what is the mistake?

I received the email below from CHI Diet and Dave Klein, and it was reposted on all the raw food message boards that I read.

Is the information in the article incorrect?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/2007 01:03AM by Bryan10.

Bryan10--
Yes, it's incorrect. Dave Klein is a personal friend of mine, so he got the information directly from an e-mail I sent him recently. Jim Carey also quoted directly from my e-mail, which was probably sent to him by Dave or maybe one of the other people I e-mailed. Jim wrote to me tonight and said not to worry about it; he didn't read the document either. What a great, loving group of people.

kwan

perhaps u didn't make a mistake
but your subconscious was putting feelers out there and i wouldn't be a bit surprised if they start moving in that direction

Just opened the newsletter from Jim Carey (Chi Living Foods) dated 12-1-07 that he sent before he sent out the (ultimately erroneous) 'special news alert' on 12-2-07 about this FDA thing. He also reviews the FDA proposal in the newsletter, and it sounds pretty true to what I saw when I looked at the document. Here is his summary:

"USDA now wants to regulate Raw Veggies - The USDA is accepting public comments until December 3 on a new proposed rule that would force small farms growing green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and lettuce, to put into place industrial-style sterilization measures that reduce biodiversity and soil fertility.

The proposal follows in the wake of the USDA's recent controversial crackdown on raw almonds, continued interference with raw milk production, and bans on the sale of locally produced organic meat directly to consumers. The proposed rules basically cover up the fact that e-coli 0157H contamination in lettuce and spinach crops comes from feedlot or industrial livestock-contaminated irrigation waters or contamination in large processing plants. The rule limits hedgerows, and other non-crop vegetation commonly found on and around small organic and sustainable farms.

In addition, although every organic farmer knows that healthy soil is literally alive with multiple types of healthy bacteria, the rules also discourage the development of beneficial microbial life in the soil. Send a message to the USDA today.

Learn more and take action: [www.organicconsumers.org];

***********

All right. Nighty-night everyone. We can all still eat our greens and maybe we won't have to build hanging gardens on our living rooms ceilings just yet. :-p Not a bad idea though.

Cold Pasteurization is the new nice sounding buzzword for irradiation to make it more acceptable by the uninformed public. They keep trying to push this technology down our throats instead of keeping the food growing/processing/handling stream clean.

This paper quoted above by Dr. Sik-Lam Wong is from the company that makes the irradiation equipment in San Leandro, CA and who were pioneers in the nuclear weapons industry. They stand to make billions if their technology gains wide acceptance.

It's not about safeguarding the public safety, it's about making money.

Sorry for the misleading subject header, I couldn't think of a better way to phrase it.

Kwan, please keep posting your comments on here. Thanks to what your instructions, I'm going to call Congress. Even though irradiation isn't being proposed, I still consider their proposals unacceptable. I oppose any tampering with my food supply.

sunshine--
Thanks-- still here. ;-p

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]